Driving mechanism for ironing machines or the like



May 11,1948. D. K. FERRIS 2,441,314

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DRIVING MECHANISM FOR IRONING MACHINES OR THE LIKE Original- Filed Nov. 30,- 1940 10 Sheets-Sheet 3 May 11, 1948. D. K. FERRIS 2,441,314

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DRIVING MECHANISM FOR IRONING MACHINES OR THE LIKE Original Filed Nov. 30, 1940 10 Sheets-Sheet 8 l L J y 1948- D. K.- FERRIS 2,441,314

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR IRONING MACHINES OR THE LIKE Original Filed Nov. 30, 1940 10 Sheets-Sheet 9 Mon. WM

D. K. FERRIS 2,441,314 7 DRIVING MECHANISM FOR IRONING MACHINES OR THE LIKE May 11, 1948.

Original Filed Nov. 30, 1940 10 Sheets-Sheet 10 Patented May 11, 1948 DRIVING MECHANISM FOR IRONING MACHINES OR THE LIKE Donald K. Ferris, Dayton, Ohio, asslgnor to General Motors Corporatio poration of Delaware- Original application November No. 367,989. Divided and this n, Dayton, Ohio, a cor- 30, 1940, Serial application Jannary 7, 1944, Serial No. 517,403

13 Claims. (oi. 74-277) This invention relates todomestic appliances and more particularly to ironing machines.

This application is a division of my copending application S. N. 367,989, filed November 30, 1940,

(Patent No. 2,363,518, granted Nov. 28, 1944) for Domestic appliance.

An object of this invention is to provide a mechanical movement for an ironing machine or the like with a unitary control causing rotation of one of the ironin members, closure of the gap between the ironing members, rotation or nonrotation of one of the ironing members when they have been closed upon each other, and a change of speed of rotation of one of the ironing members.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved mechanism for driving the rotatable ironing member and for closing the shoe upon the rotatable ironing member.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical view, partly in cross-section, of my ironing machine;

Fig. 2 is a vertical view, partly in cross-section, taken transversely to Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the upper part of the ironing machine showing both shoes retracted;

.Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section showing the transmission mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal cross-section taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

-' Fig. 6 is a horizontal cross-section taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 4;

Fig.7 is a vertical cross-section taken along the line 1-1 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is an elevational view of the mechanism shown in the lower part of Fig. 4;

a, Fig. 9 is a bottom view of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 shows a detail of in Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is a horizontal cross-section taken along the line ll--I I of Fig. 8, showing the station clutch just before release of the shoe actuating cam from the drive mechanism;

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fi 11, but showing the cam in its fully released position;

Fig. 13 is a horizontal cross-section taken along the line l3-i3 of Fig. 4;

Figs. 14, 15, 16 and 17 show the control pedal and its associated parts in the stop, first speed,

the mechanism shown second speed and "press" positions respectively;

Fig. 18 is an exploded view, in perspective, of the station clutch mechanism; and

Fig. 19 is a horizontal cross-section taken along the line i 9-l 9 of Fig. 4.

The ironin machine may be mounted on a standard or table It). It is provided with a rotatable ironing member or roller II, a shoe structure including a relatively large shoe l2 and a relatively small shoe I 3. The ironing members are closed upon and opened from each other and the ironing members are movable with respect to each other codirectionally to the surface of the large shoe. To this end, the rotatable member II is rotated under the control of a unitary controlling member, manipulator or pedal M. The

arrangement is such that the pedal positions, causes either or both of be closed upon the roller II, causes the roller It to rotate at a plurality of speeds, or may cause the roller to remain stationary when the shoe structure has been closed upon it for pressing operations. a

A motor 15 is provided for furnishing power to the parts controlled by the pedal It. The motor 15 is connected to those parts through the medium of a transmission in the casing I6. This transmission is controlled by the pedal Hi to cause the roll driving shaft I! to rotate at first and second speeds, and to rock the shoe actuating shaft l8 to bring the shoe structure into engagement withthe roller 1 I.

The roller ii is mounted On a stationary bearing shaft I9 and is driven by means of a rotatable shaft Zll keyed to the roller ii at 2i and geared to the shaft ll at 22.

The shoestructure is mounted on the rockable shaft l8. The large shoe I2 is secured to backwardly directed lugs 23 which are fulcrumed at 26 on the lever structure 24, which is loosely mounted on the shaft l8. Lever structure 24 is U-shaped in horizontal cross-section. A locking lever structure 25 is also fulcrumed at 26 and is provided with an extension 21 which may be brought into engagement with the end 28 of a leaf spring 29, the other end 30 of which is keyed and secured in the shaft 18. The arrangement is such that, when the lever structure 25 is pulled towards the user or to the left as viewed in Fig. 1, by means of the knob 3|, the corresponding shoe is placed in condition for engagement with the roller ll whenever the shaft 18 is properly rocked by the transmission mechanism. Another leaf spring 29' is keyed to the shaft 18 and is effective to retract the shoe when the shaft 18 i l, in various the shoes to 3 is rocked clockwise. A more detailed showing and description of the shoe supporting mechanism is contained in my copending application S. N. 282,- 228 filed June 30, 1939, now Patent #2363517, to which reference is made, if necessary, for further disclosure thereof.

The small shoe I3 is supported on the shaft 18 by a structure similar to that which supports the shoe l2. Corresponding parts have been numbered with the same number provided with the sufllx a.

The large shoe l2 and the small shoe 18 may be used together for flat work .or the small shoe may be used alone for wearing apparel, as more fully described in my copending application 8. N. 367,989. They may be selectively brought separately into engagement with the roller, or they may both be brought together into engagement with the roller by movement of the knobs 8i and 81a towards or away from the user and by subsequent movement of the pedal [4 to cause the motor to rock the shaft 18. When brought forward together, they form a large composite shoe useful in ironing fiat work. The small shoe alone is specially adapted for ironing the collars, cuffs, sleeves, etc., of wearing apparel.

The shoe rocking shaft [8 is journalled in a stationary bearing carried by the upstanding casing 41. The roller H, and its stationary bearing i9 are carried by the stationary casing 42, both cases being rigidly secured to each other and to the base 19, through the medium of the-solid top Ilia of the gear casing IS.

The shoe rocking shaft 18 is rocked by a downwardly extending member or lever 43. The lower end 44 of the lever 43 is reciprocated or rocked in a vertical plane by the extension 45 of the cam sleeve member 46. The cam sleeve member 48 is actuated by the cam 41, which may be rotated selectively to two positions substantially 180 .apart, 'around stationary stub shaft 410., on a vertical axis in said vertical plane by means of a station clutch arrangement hereafter described. The station clutch includes a ratchet wheel 48 which rotates about said axis all the time that the motor I is actuated. The ratchet wheel 48 is engaged by the pawl or tooth 49 while the cam 41 is being moved between its station" positions, which are located substantially in said vertical plane, and the tooth 49 is automatically disengaged from the ratchet wheel 48 at the stations when the shoe structure is either fully retracted or fully brought forward. The station engagement and disengagement of the tooth 49 is controlled by a control member including the rotating levers 58 and 590. which rotate in different horizontal planes and come into the engagement with the end 5| of the rockable stop lever 52 which is selectively movable into said planes. As shown in Fig. 11, one of the levers 58 has just come into engagement with the end iii of the lever 52. Referring to Fig. 18, along with Figs. 11 and 12, it is to be noted that the tooth 49 is carried by a slide 53 which fits over the cam 41 and is slidably secured, thereto by means of screws 54 with the plate 55 interposed therebetween. Accordingly, when the ratchet wheel 48 rotates the tooth 49, slide 53, plate 55 and cam 41 in a counter-clockwise direction for a short distance after the lever 59 engages stop 51', the pin 58 is rotated relatively to the now stationary slot 51, causing the slide 53 to move outwardly (to the left in Figs. 11, 12 and 18). At the same time the tension on spring 58 is stretched between the M1 stationary ear 59 of the plate 55 and the moving lug 41a rotating cam 41. This relative motion continues between the position shown in Fig. 11 to that shown in Fig. 12 at which time the cam 41 and plate 58 stop rotation because the tooth 49 becomes disengaged from the driving ratchet wheel 48.

It is to be noted that the slot 51 is wider than the diameter of the pin 58, as clearly indicated in Figs. 11 and 12. This prevents ratcheting of the tooth 49 with the ratchet 48 after the mechanism has reached the position shown in Fig. 12, because the tooth 49 can be knocked clear of the teeth of ratchet 48 due to the clearance play between pin 55 and slot 51.

The cam is maintained in the position shown in Fig. 12, by a leaf spring 68, carried by the sleeve 46, which spring 88 engages the teeth 8| formed in the periphery of the cam 41'. These teeth are constructed to allow the cam 41 to move counter-clockwise with relation to the sleeve 45, but prevent backward movement thereof. Spring 69 and teeth 5| therefore function as a one-way clutch. The station stop is so selected that the cam 41 stops slightly before maximum outward movement of the sleeve 48 is produced. and at-this time the tooth 49 is released. The leaf spring 69 then prevents backward movement of the cam 41 in spite of the strong backward pull by the spring 58 between the ear 59 and the cam 41.

The motor 15 drives the worm 82 which is meshed with the gear 68 and drives the driving shaft 64. This shaft is fixedly secured to the ratchet wheel 48 and also to a sun gear 45 which is part of a planetary gear drive for the roll rotating shaft l1. The planetary gearing is so constructed that when the first idler toothed ring 66 is stopped by the first control means or lever 61, the roll is rotated at one speed. When the second idler toothed wheel 88 is stopped by the second control means or lever 89, the roll is rotated at a different speed. The levers 81 and 58 are urged in a clockwise direction by springs 18 and 11 and in a counter-clockwise direction (Figs. 5 and 5) by the lost motion connection or slide 12 under the control of M. The slide 12 is provided with such that when the notch 13 is brought into positions opposite the ends of levers 61 and 59 respectively, the respective levers are permitted to be rocked clockwise by their respective springs 10, 11, into stopping engagement with the respective wheels 56 and 58. 'Thus it is to be seen that when the pedal I4 is moved to its various positions (see Figs. 14, 15, 16 and 17) the planetary gears are controlled by the levers B1 and 48 to hold the roll ii in the stopped position when the pedal I4 is in its uppermost and lowermost position, and the roll II is rotated at first and second speeds when the pedal 14 is in its 17?." intermediate positions. I

It is to be noted that the shoes 12 and 18 may be used together as a unitary large shoe by moving the handles 31 and 31a forward to cause the leaf springs 29 and the spring of 8H1 corresponding to 29 to become effective on their respective shoes. Either one of the shoes 12 or 18 may be used independently of the other by moving one of the handles 31 or 3la forward while the other handle is in the back position. The small shoe i3 is particularly useful for ironing wearing apparel such as shirts or the like, and may be used with the same effect as a hand iron without the necessity of lifting the same. Because of the shape and size of the shoe 18, it is possible to iron collars, cuffs, etc., with very little practice a notch 18,

the manipulator or pedal and in a manner quite similar tohand iron operation.

The two-speed planetary drive is connected to the shaft ii by means of the planetary gear frame or spider to which is fixed to the shaft ii. The spider-Sit carries first planetary gears ti mounted on bearing pins 82. The gears di are meshed with the sun gear 85 and alsowith an internal gear 83 carried by the first idler ring or wheel M. The gears 8i have integrally formed therewith smaller second planetary gears M which mesh with an internal gear 86 on the second idler ring or wheel $8. The wheels he and B8 are loosely mounted on bearings M and M respectively so that they are free to turn as long as they are not engaged by the stop rods m and B9. Therefore, as long as these rods are disengaged,- no torque can be transmitted through the free running wheels 66 and B8, and the shaft ll remains stationary. However, when the wheel be is held stationary, a relatively fast rotation is imparted to the roll ii, while a relatively slow rotation is imparted to the roll it when the wheel 88 is held stationary.

The station clutch is controlled from the pedal it by means of the slide 12. The slide i2 is provided with an ear fill on top of which the end ti of the stop lever 52 rests. The stop lever s2 is urged in a clockwise direction (Fig. i) by means of the spring 92. When the slide it is in its highest position, as shown in Fig. 4, the end ti oi the lever 52 stops the lever 58 which holds the shoe structure away from the roller. As the slide i2 is moved to its next lower position, the end El of the lever 52' rises to engage the upper lever 56 and thus moves the station clutch structure to hold the shoe structure against the roll.

It is desirable to provide an indexing" means so that the user may be conscious of the correct place to stop the pedal it. To this end a U- shaped spring 9% is secured to the lower portion d5 of the casing it. This U-shaped spring contracts into the notches 98, 91 and 98 in the slide it. This cooperation between the spring 9t and the notches 96, 91 and 98 imparts an "indexing" feel to the user'sfoot, so that the pedal i l is used in the four positions only.

Means are provided for raising the pedal when released by the user's foot. To this end a spring are is secured to a stationary part of the ironing machine, such as to the lug illi of the casing i6, and the other end ofthe spring Hill is secured to an intermediate part I02 oi the rod wt which connects the pedal it to the slide 12. The rod Ida is connected to the slide 12 by means of a bolt IN. The slide '82 is held from lateral displacement by the bolts I05 which are loosely fitted in the slots ms of the slide 12 and are,

carried by-stationary parts of the casing, such as the lug iili and a stationary-extension m1 of the transmission casing.

The transmission casing i8, which carries the roll and shoe structures may be secured to the table it by any suitable means. Preferably an angle iron structure lid is bolted, by bolts iii to the casing i5. This angle iron structure is secured to the table supports by any improved manner, and preferably extends longitudinally along each long edge of the table from one leg to the other, to provide a rigid support for the ironing mechanism.

In the operation of the machine and assuming that the motor has been placed in motion with the manipulator it and slide 12 in the position thereof shown in Fig. 14, shaft 84 and gear 83 are rotated. In this position of the pedal or pedal it isdepressed to its first position of the depression as shown in Fig. 15. This movement of pedal i i lowersthe slide i2, permits lever 52 to rotate crosswise and set the station clutch transmission in .motion to move both or one or the other of the shoes i2 and it into engagement with the roll ii while at the same time operating one-of the levers ti or 69 into engagement with one of the wheels at or ta so that power is translid mitted from the motor to the roll shaft ill to rotate the. rollat one or a first speed. The material -to be ironed is started between the shoes it and i 8 and the roll i l and if it is desired to increase the speed of the roll, the pedal it is again depressed to its second position of depression as shown in Fig. 16. This further depressed position of the pedal it causes slide ii? to axially rotate the levers er and all so that the one lever will be disengaged from holding position and the other will be brought into engagement with its associated toothed wheel to thereby cause rotation of the larger gears-Bl to drive the spider lid and consequently the roll shaft ii at a second or increased speed. When the ironing operation is finished, pedal i i is released. Release of the user's foot from pedal it renders the spring ltd effective to move the slide 12 and pedal it upwardly to the normal position as shown in Fig. 14 and the motor still being operated will, through the station clutch transmission, cause the shoes i2 and i3 to move back away from roll ii in order to place the ironing machine in readiness to receive further work to be ironed or pressed. The indexing means, which conveys to the user's foot on pedal it sensations to render the user conscious 'of the various operating positions of the slide to carry out the functions of the machine, permits the user to reverse the operations of the. machine described or to carry these operations forward selectively as may be desired. If -it is desired to press clothes without rotation of the'roll ii, such clothes are placed on the roll, and the pedal is depressed to the position shown in Fig. 17. This places the levers t7 and B9 in a position to maintain the roll sta- 'tionary and moves the lever 9i to a position to rock the shoe or shoes to press the clothes. Thus the plurality of functions of the machine, through the medium of the gear transmission, station clutch transmission and connections with the slide, may be caused to be carried out by a single control or manipulator.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted as may come within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In a machine of the character described, a rotatable driving shaft, a station clutch driven by said driving shaft to a plurality of positions.

a control member for said station clutch having stop arms rotatable in different planes, and a movable stop member movable selectively into said difl'erent planes.

2. In a machine of the character described, a rotatable driving shaft, a station clutch driven by said driving shaft to a plurality of positions, a control member for said station clutch having Upon placing stop arms rotatable in different planes, a movable stop member movable selectively into said diflerent planes, a variable speed transmission driven by said driving shaft and driving a rotatable driven shaft at a plurality of speeds, control means for said transmission movable to a pinrality of positions to cause said rotatable driven shaft selectively to be driven at a selected speed, and a unitary manipulator having lost motion connection with said stop'member and control means to permit control of said transmission simultaneously with, and independently of, said station clutch.

3. In a machine of the character described, a rotatable driving shaft, a station clutch driven by said driving shaft into positions substantially 180 apart, a control member for said station clutch having two stop arms rotatable with said station clutch in different planes, and a movable stop member movable selectively into said different planes.

4. In a machine of the character described, a rotatable driving shaft, a station clutch driven by said driving shaft into positions substantially 180 apart, a control member for said station clutch having two stop arms rotatable with said station clutch in different planes, a movable stop member movable selectively into said different planes, a rotatable driven shaft, a transmission connecting and disconnecting said driving and driven shafts, a control means for said transmission movable to a plurality of positions to cause said transmission to connect and disconnect said shafts, and a unitary manipulator having lost motion connection with said stop member and control means to permit control of said transmission simultaneously with, and independently of, said station clutch.

5. In a machine of the character described, a rotatable driving shaft, a sun gear fixed on said driving shaft, a driven shaft, a planetary gear frame fixed to said driven shaft, a first planetary gear carried by said frame having a first diameter and being in permanent engagement with said sun gear, a second planetary gear fixed to said first planetary gear and having a second diameter different from said first diameter, a first idler ring having geared engagement with said first planetary gear, a second idler ring having geared engagement with said second planetary gear, a first control means movable into and out of stopping engagement with said first idler ring, a second control means movable into and out of stopping engagement with said second idler ring, a station clutch driven by said driving shaft into positions substantially l80' apart, a control member for said station clutch having two stop arms rotatable in different planes, and a unitary manipulator having lost motion connection with said first and second control means and with said control member to permit control of the rotation of said driven shaft simultaneously with, and independently of, said station clutch.

6. In a machine of the character described, a rotatable driving shaft, a rotatable drivenshaft, a transmission between said shafts drivingly to engage and disengage said shafts, a station clutch movable into at least two positions by said driving shaft, and a unitary manipulator having lost motion control connections with said transmission and station clutch to cause, by movement of said manipulator in a single direction and while said driving shaft is rotating, said station clutch to move to a selected position and selectively to engage and to disengage said shafts.

7. In a machine of the character described, a

rotatable driving shaft, a rotatable driven shaft,

a variable speed transmission between said shafts to engage and disengage said shafts to rotate said driven shaft at variable speeds and to stop 5 said driven shaft independently of rotation of said driving shaft, a station clutch movable into at least two positions by said driving shaft, and a unitary manipulator having lost motion control connections with said transmission and station clutch to cause, by movement of said manipulator in a single direction and while said driving shaft is rotating, said station clutch to move to a selected position and selectively to drive said driven shaft at varying speeds and to disengage said shafts.

8. In a machineof the character described, a member to be reciprocated, acam sleeve connected to said member, a. cam within said sleeve, a one-way clutch between said cam and sleeve to lock said cam against backward movement relative to said sleeve, 9, station clutch operatively connected with said cam including a ratchet wheel adapted to rotate continuously, a pawl slidably mounted on said cam, and means to engage and disengage said pawl and ratchet wheel to move said cam to and from station positions. Y

9. In a machine of the character described, a member to be reciprocated in a plane, a cam sleeve connected to said member and adapted to be gyrated about an axis in said plane, a cam within said sleeve mounted on a shaft coaxial with said axis, a one-way clutch between said cam and sleeve to lock said cam against backward movement relative to said sleeve, a station clutch operatively connected with said cam including a ratchet wheel adapted to rotate continuously about said axis, a pawl slidably mounted on said cam, and means to engage and disengage said pawl and ratchet wheel to move said cam to and from stations lying substantially in said plane.

10. In a machine of the character described, a body to be reciprocated, a cam sleeve connected to said body, a cam within said sleeve, a oneway clutch between said cam and sleeve to lock said cam against backward movement relative to said sleeve, a station clutch operatively connected with said cam including a ratchet whee? member and a pawl member, one of said members being slidably mounted on said cam and thz other of said members being adapted to rotati continuously, and means to engage and disengage said pawl and ratchet wheel members t1 move said cam to and from station positions.

11. In a machine of the character described, a driving shaft rotatable about an axis, a driver shaft rotatable about said axis, a cam rotatabl about said axis, planetary gearing between $8.11 shafts, control means for said gearingcausim said driving shaft drivingly to-engage and rotat said driven shaft at varying speeds and to dis engage said shafts, a station clutch between sai driving shaft and cam, control means for sai station clutch causing said driving shaft to mov and stop said cam between selected stations, an a unitary manipulator having connections wit said two control means, one of said connection being a lost motion connection.

12. In a machine of the character described, driving shaft rotatable about an axis, a drive shaft rotatable about said axis, a cam rotatabi about said axis, transmission mechanism bi tween said shafts, control means for said tram mission mechanism causing said driving sha ":5 drivingly to engage said driven shaft and to di:

engage said shafts, a station clutch between said driving shaft and cam, control means for said station clutch causing said driving shaft to move and stop said cam between selected stations, and a unitary manipulator having connections with said two control means, one of said connections being a lost motion connection.

13. In a machine of the character described, a rotatable driving shaft, a rotatable driven shaft, a rotatable cam, transmission mechanism between said shafts, a movable control member for said transmission mechanism causing said driving shaft drivingly to engage said driven shaft and to disengage said shafts, a station clutch between said driving shaft and cam, a movable control member for said station clutch causing said driving shaft to move and stop said cam between selected stations, and a unitary actuator having irregularities engaging said movable controlmembers at different positions of said actuator. DONALD K. FERRIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS- Great Britain May 24, 1937 

